Research

My main research topics are:

Chronemics and other CMC cues

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is rich in chronemic (time-related) and visual cues that augment the written text and provide nuance, social cues, relational information, and more. I am interested in a better theoretical and applied understanding of these cues and of their roles. For example, see:

Kalman, Y.M., Aguilar, A.M. & Ballard, D.I. (2018). The role of chronemic agency in the processing of a multitude of mediated conversation threads. To appear in the Proceedings of the 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Washington DC, IEEE.[Link]

As we use computers and other information and communication technologies, we produce a stream of digital data that can be captured and analyzed. I and others in the HCI (human-computer interaction) community are beginning to demonstrate that these data reveal valuable information about users’ health. My goal is to identify and characterize such markers (HCI markers) and to explore ways to use these new insights to promote health and wellbeing in a socially responsible manner. For example see:

Kalman, Y.M., Kavé, G. & Umanski, D. (2015). Writing in a digital world: Self-correction while typing in younger and older adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12 (10), 12723-12734. [link to special issue on aging and cognition]

The relationships between innovation in learning technologies, and business models in the higher education sector

In the last thirty years I witnessed tremendous developments in the field of educational technologies. In contrast, I observe an insufficient ability of most organizational decision makers and policy makers in the higher education sector to harness these innovations to meaningfully improve higher education. Instead, we see unsystematic experimentation, ongoing cycles of hype and disillusionment, repeated predictions of the demise of higher education as we know it, and a higher education system that is perceived as conservative, and less and less relevant for the needs of the twenty-first century knowledge society. I apply my managerial experience in the for-profit educational services sector, my understanding of innovation in digital technologies, and basic principals of strategic management, to understand the relationships between innovation and business models in higher education. For example see:

Kalman, Y.M. (2016). Cutting through the hype: Evaluating the innovative potential of new educational technologies through business model analysis. Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, 31 (1), 64-75. [doi]

Kalman, Y.M. (2014). A race to the bottom: MOOCs and higher education business models. Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, 29 (1), 5-14. [doi]

Kalman, Y.M. (2014). Free as in beer or free as in MOOCs? Using business model analysis to cut through the hype on innovation in higher education. Paper presented at the “Innovation in higher education: Building a better future?” ICA preconference, May 22, 2014, Seattle, WA.

Kalman, Y.M. (2010). How low can you go? The tuition-free business model of The University of the People. Paper presented at the 5th Chais Conference on Instructional Technologies Research, February 10, Ra’anana, Israel. [PDF]

The impact of digital innovation on everyday life in the knowledge society

Digital innovation influences many aspects of everyday life in the knowledge society. I try to better understand these influences on areas such as information overload, education, and interpersonal relationships. In these attempts I try to avoid the pitfalls of technological determinism and of the false utopia/dystopia dichotomy, and my goal is to advance academic theory as well as to provide useful insights for individuals and for decision makers in organizations. For example see:

Kalman, Y.M. (2017). Why do we blame information for our overload? In Ballard, D.I. and McGlone, M.S. (eds.), Work pressures: New agendas in communication. New York, Routledge [pre-print] [Google books]